CLEARFIELD – Because the high school’s tennis courts are in poor condition and have been closed, the Clearfield Area School District Board of Directors plans on seeking bids for their complete replacement as well as for their “temporary fix.”
In April 2010, J. Greer Hayden of HHSDR Architects/Engineers, the district’s architect, reviewed the condition of the tennis courts and deemed them “unplayable.” The school’s girl’s and boy’s tennis teams have been playing their entire season schedules away.
Superintendent Dr. Thomas B. Otto said the board must determine if it wants to completely replace or “temporarily fix” the courts, eliminate the tennis program all together or continue in its current state. Sixteen boys and 10 girls are currently members of the high school’s tennis team.
Otto asked the board if they wanted to pursue with a Request for Proposals (RFP) or a bidding process. However, if the board proceeded with project bidding, he believed it’d receive “solidified” specifications about the costs and renovation work involved.
“I know this we can’t continue the road we’re on. It’s hard on the kids playing all their matches away,” said board President Dave Glass. “If we choose to fix it, we need to fix it right or not at all.”
According to him, the tennis courts’ use has extended beyond that of the boy’s and girl’s tennis programs. The courts were also used by the physical education classes and the general public and would likely be again if playing conditions were acceptable.
Glass said that when the tennis courts were reviewed by HHSDR, the board was advised it’d be approximately $300,000 to $500,000 to repair them. After the meeting, he indicated those figures were received some time ago and may not be the same at the present time.
Hayden recommended the board pursue bids, while RFPs don’t always include many details, which can often be misleading. He said the district wouldn’t be eligible for any additional reimbursement from the state because the tennis courts would fall under site improvements.
In other business, the board authorized the utilization of services of John Serke, ALA, RCI, as a consultant regarding the Girard-Goshen Elementary School’s roof at a cost not to exceed $11,000. The board also approved using Integra Realty Resources to perform an appraisal at a cost not to exceed $9,000.
In October 2010, the board approved the temporary closure of the 9-year-old school because of structural issues related to its roofing system. Just weeks later, approximately 70 students and all of the faculty and staff relocated to the Clearfield Elementary School.